MAR MENOR AND ORIENTAL MEDITERRANEAN ZONE OF THE REGION OF MURCIA - PDF document

ANNOTATED FORMAT FOR THE PRESENTATION REPORTS FOR THE AREAS PROPOSED FOR INCLUSION IN THE SPAMI LIST MAR MENOR AND ORIENTAL MEDITERRANEAN ZONE OF THE REGION OF MURCIA COAST SPAIN

OBJECTIVE The objective of this Annotated Format is to guide the Contracting Parties in producing reports of comparable contents, including the information necessary for the adequate evaluation of the conformity of the proposed site with the criteria set out in the Protocol and in its Annex I (Common criteria for the choice of protected marine and coastal areas that could be included in the SPAMI List). CONTENTS The presentation report shall include the following main information on: (i) identification of the proposed protected area (ii) site description (iii) its Mediterranean importance (iv) the activities in and around the area and their impacts (v) legal status (vi) management measures (vii) human and financial resources available for the management and the protection of the site. SUBMISSION OF REPORTS The reports should be submitted to the RAC/SPA two months before the meeting of National Focal Points for SPA in English or in French. Dossiers should be compiled on A4 paper (210 mm x 297 mm), with maps and plans annexed on paper with a maximum size of an A3 paper (297 mm x 420 mm). Contracting Parties are also encouraged to submit the full text of the proposal in electronic form. The requested annexes should be submitted on paper and, if possible, also in electronic form. They are the following: • Copies of legal texts • Copies of planning and management documents • Maps: administrative boundaries, zoning, land tenure, land use, and distribution of habitats and species, as appropriate • Existing inventories of plant and fauna species • Photographs, slides, films/videos, CD-ROMs • List of publications and copies of the main ones concerning the site N.B.: All the following sections have to be in the report submitted, even those sections or elements that do not apply to the proposed area. Where that is the case, please put “not applicable to the proposed area”. 2

1. AREA IDENTIFICATION 1.1. COUNTRY/COUNTRIES (in the case of transboundary areas) SPAIN 1.2. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVINCE OR REGION COMUNIDAD AUTONOMA DE LA REGION DE MURCIA 1.3. NAME OF THE AREA 1.3. NAME OF THE AREA MAR MENOR AND ORIENTAL MEDITERRANEAN ZONE OF THE REGION OF MURCIA COAST. 1.3. NAME OF THE AREA 1.4. GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION Describe its geographical boundaries, e.g. rivers, roads, geographical or administrative boundaries (do not describe the co-ordinates here; please make a separate annex with a map and a description of geographical co-ordinates as stated in the legal declaration of the area). The area is located in the Southeast of the Region of Murcia, limiting in its Northern end with the province of Alicante. Toward the East and the South embraces a portion of the submerged coastal fringe of the Mediterranean sea, as well as the Hormigas, Grosa and Farallón Islands. The western limit follows the shore line of the Mar Menor interior lagoon, incorporating three wetlands areas: El Carmolí, Lo Poyo and La Hita. The Southern limit include the submerged coast fringe between Palos Cape and Negrete Cape. 1.5. SURFACE OF THE AREA (total) 27.503 ha (in ha) (in national unit) 27,503 ha 1.6. LENGTH OF THE MAIN COAST (Km) 59 km. 3

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (maximum 3 pages) The area is located in the Southeast of the Region of Murcia, limiting in its Northern end with the province of Alicante. Toward the East and the South embraces a portion of the submerged coastal fringe of the Mediterranean sea, as well as the Hormigas, Grosa and Farallon Islands. The western limit follows the shore line of the Mar Menor interior lagoon, incorporating three wetlands areas: El Carmoli, Lo Poyo and La Hita. The Southern limit include the submerged coast fringe between Palos Cape and Negrete Cape. The surface of the area is 27,503 ha (310 ha terrestiral surface, 1,463 ha wetland surface and 257.3 Sq. Km marine surface. The zone is part of the great domain of the Betic Mountains, occupying principaly a wide quaternary plain. The geomorphology of the area has been due fundamentally to the volcanic and sedimentary processes that gave origin to the sandy bar of La Manga, and the biggest interior lagoon in Spain: the Mar Menor, communicated with the Mediterranean sea through a system of natural channels called “golas”. Associated to the lagoon there are coastal salt marshes, salt flats (salt steppes) and some volcanic mountains. In this area the morphology of the coast is shallow; 6.5 m. is the maximum depth in the lagoon. The mediterranean south coast is characterized by an alternation between rocky (sea) cliffs - overcoming the 20 m. height – and small creeks and beaches. The submarine coast registers the same heterogeneity, with areas formed by soft substratum characteristic of beaches and rocky cliffs -10 m. depth-. Next to the islands there are the biggest depths, until 50 m. depth. The mean annual precipitation is 300 mm, all the water courses are seasonal, generally incactive torrents. Most of these flow into the Mar Menor. The water courses are: Rambla de los Alcázares, Miranda, Beal, Carrasquilla y Siete Higueras. Actually, we don’t have a description of dominant marine habitats on the basis of the habitat classifications adopted within the framework of MAP National Focal Points. But we can recognize the following one: Posidonia oceanica medaows (III.5.1). Association with Posidonia oceanica . Approximate coverage: 8,400 has. Using the classification of habitats of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, we can distinguish: Sands banks wich are slightly covered by sea water all the time: ( Cymodoceion nodosae and Cymodoceetum nodosae ). Approximate coverage: 140 has. Coastal lagoons. Approximate coverage: 13,519 has. The zone presents a high number of terrestrial habitats, 21 terrestrial habitats (using the classification of terrestrial habitats of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC): Other singular characteristics of the area are: It is presented in the area the unique “sabinar of dunes” (Juniperus turbinata) of the Region, which is not very abundant in the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. It is presented vegetation of salt environment in a good conservation state and a great variety of communities characteristic of shoreline dunes. The area presents 7 birds, 4 marine plants, 5 marine invertebrates, 2 fish, 2 reptils and 2 mammals included in Annex II of the Protocol. The area presents the biggest population of Fartet ( Aphanius iberus ) in the Región of Murcia. It is an important area for aquatic birds, mainly Himantopus himantopus, Egretta garzetta, Calandrella rufescens, Recurvirostra avosetta, Sterna albifrons and Gelochelidon nilotica. The Isla de las Hormigas have an important colony of Hidrobates pelagicus melitensis. The populations of Calonectris diomedea and Larus audouinii . Isla Grosa is a very important colony in the world of Larus audouinii . Human population and use of natural resources Nobody live inside the area, around it inhabit 50,000 people. This population is duplicated in summer. The main economic activity of the area is directly related with tourism, including activities as trade, construction and hostelry. In the coastal settlements there are an hotel offer of 12,000 beds. Other uses are the agriculture (vegetables); fishing (crustaceans, fish and mollusks with a capture of 376 tons in 1999) and industrial exploitation of the salt marshes. The traditional uses are: Encañizadas: traditional fishing summoned in natural channels of communication between the coastal lagoon and the Mediterranean Sea. The human activity maintains open the natural channels to facilitate the pass and capture of fish. Salt Marshes: two salines exist: “Salinas of San Pedro del Pinatar” and “Salinas of Marchamalo”. They are dedicated to the extraction of salt from the evaporation of the water coming from the lagoon. Impacts and activities within the site * Antecedents: In the sixties began the tourist development and the expansion of intensive irrigated lands around the zone. These activities were supplemented with the fishing and the exploitation of the salt (salt marshes). 4